1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a detergent supplying apparatus of a washing machine provided with a drawer that houses and supplies detergent, and more particularly, to a detergent supplying apparatus of a washing machine, in which one drawer cap is integrally provided with a bleach siphon cap and a softener siphon cap.
2. Description of the Background Art
In general, a washing machine refers to a device for cleaning a laundry through washing, rinsing, dewatering, and drying to decontaminate clothes and bedclothes (Hereinafter, referred to as “laundry”).
The washing machine is classified as a home washing machine and a commercial washing machine depending on a purpose of use. The home washing machine is installed at each home, and is used for washing the laundry generated by a member of family. The commercial washing machine is separately installed at a shop or dormitory, and is used for leasing its use to a user desiring to wash the laundry in return for a predetermined use fee.
The commercial washing machine is separately provided with a fee processing unit other than a construction of the general home washing machine, and separately requires a control algorithm of the fee processing unit.
The washing machine is provided with a detergent supplying apparatus for housing detergent, bleach, and softener and then, selectively supplying the detergent, the bleach, and the softener at a necessary time.
The detergent supplying apparatus includes a drawer for housing and supplying the detergent, the bleach, and the softener.
The drawer is disposed at a water supplying flow of the washing machine to mix and supply water passing through the water supplying flow of the washing machine, and is constructed such that it is drawn or disengaged outside to input the detergent, the bleach, and the softener.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an example of a drawer used in a conventional washing machine. A detergent supplying part 402 to house and supply detergent is long provided in the front and rear direction at a right side of the drawer 400. A bleach supplying part 404 to house and supply bleach is long provided in the front and rear direction at a center of the drawer 400. A softener supplying part 406 to house softener is long provided in the front and rear direction at a left side of the drawer 400.
In the bleach supplying part 404, a bleach siphon tube 408 is protruded, and the bleach siphon tube 408 is covered with a bleach siphon cap 408′.
In the softener supplying part 406, a softener siphon tube 409 is protruded, and the softener siphon tube 409 is covered with a softener siphon cap 409′.
However, in the conventional detergent supplying apparatus of the washing machine, the drawer 400 is provided with the detergent supplying part 402, the bleach supplying part 404, and the softener supplying part 406 are sequentially disposed in the left and right direction and each of them is long provided back and forth and thus, the drawer 400 is great in its total size and is increased in its manufacturing cost, and it is difficult to even secure a space for installing the drawer 400 in the commercial drum washing machine.
On contrary, there is a drawback in that when the drawer 400 is provided small, the detergent supplying part 402, the bleach supplying part 404, and the softener supplying part 406 are too small provided, thereby causing an insufficient capacity of detergent, and causing each of input ports of the detergent supplying part 402, the bleach supplying part 404, and the softener supplying part 406 to be insufficiently secured in size.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating another example of a drawer used in the conventional washing machine. A detergent supplying part 412 to house detergent is long provided in the front and rear direction at a right side of the drawer 410. A bleach/softener supplying part 414 to separately house bleach and softener is long provided in the front and rear direction at a left side of the drawer 410.
The bleach/softener supplying part 414 is provided with a box shaped bleach supplying part 416 at an inner and front part, and is provided with a box shaped softener supplying part 418 at an inner and rear part.
In the bleach supplying part 416, a bleach siphon tube 428 is protruded, and the bleach siphon tube 428 is covered with a bleach siphon cap 428′.
In the softener supplying part 418, a softener siphon tube 429 is protruded, and the softener siphon tube 429 is covered with a softener siphon cap 429′.
However, in the conventional detergent supplying apparatus of the washing machine, the bleach supplying part 416 and the softener supplying part 418 are disposed to be spaced apart back and forth within the bleach/softener supplying part 414 of the drawer 410 and thus, when the softener is inputted, the drawer 410 should be drawn until the bleach supplying part 416 and the softener supplying part 418 are all opened. Thus, there is a drawback in that the drawer 410 is greatly increased in its drawing distance and thus, the drawer 410 increases in even its back and forth length.
In the bleach siphon caps 408′ and 428′ and the softener siphon caps 409′ and 429′, it is structured that they are easily disengaged from the bleach siphon tubes 408 and 428 and the softener siphon tubes 409 and 429. Thus, there is a drawback in that the bleach siphon caps 408′ and 428′ and the softener siphon caps 409′ and 429′ have a great loss possibility and, particularly, the commercial washing machine has a difficulty in its management and maintenance.
The bleach siphon caps 408′ and 428′ and the softener siphon caps 409′ and 429′ are comprised of separate parts. Thus, there is a drawback in that the number of parts increases and the parts have a great loss possibility and, particularly, the commercial washing machine has a difficulty in its management and maintenance.